Closure of an ancient meat market
The closure of Smithfield and Billingsgate markets in London is nothing more than the contemporary age catching up
One of the big pieces of news coming out of London is Smithfield and Billingsgate markets are closing. Smithfield is the land animal flesh market and Billingsgate is the sea beings market. Whilst it's a big deal when something that's been around 800 years closes as Smithfield has, it's also how things are. This is nothing more than a city continuing to change through the ages
Smithfield Market by Martin Kerans
For a long time, the area around Smithfield used to be where executions took place. There’s even a plaque commemorating the execution of William Wallace. Good that's gone, right? It was also a place of suffering and healing too - historically and it continues to be so. St. Barth's hospital is nearby and the Clerkenwell waters (there's an actual well hidden in a churchyard about 10 minutes from Smithfield) used to be a site of pilgrimage and hope the waters would heal
I've seen some commentary about the closure signalling a decline in animal products. That's simply not the case - see my writing on that here and in my book Think Like A Vegan to which there's a big update coming in paperback in January. Consumption of animal products has been relentlessly increasing.
This closure tells you more about how London is developing, changing and even where future money will be in terms of development. And it’s also illustrative of how "food" is distributed, produced etc. Massive distribution centres are arcane in a world of “efficient” supply chains. Smithfield is massive, it’s right in the heart of the City of London and that’s alot of valuable land being underutilised
I used to live near Smithfield market, and walked through it twice a day to/from my office for several years. I wasn't vegan then. In the years I lived near the market, I saw a consistent decline from it being incredibly busy in the early 2000s to not much a decade later. Its decline and decreased activity has been happening over a long time. And I remember it was big news when women started working there. I saw them equally carrying massive carcasses on their backs. Progress?
I don't begrudge what people do for a living. We all do what is possible to us in this deeply unequal capitalist world. I hope people displaced by this find new and different work. I hope whatever funds set aside also channel people to work which is unrelated to animal exploitation. As for the closure itself, I’m neutral. It neither elicits hope for a future vegan world, brings me joy as some sort of vegan “win” – it has nothing to do with that – or makes me sad. Perhaps I’m a little bit hopeful it will become a good cultural and artistic site
Thank you so much for this post. I was initially shocked as both markets have a long tradition in East London. Then I was upset for those who have worked there all their lives, some families have generations of people who have worked there. Plus as a business owner you may plan to pass what you’ve worked hard to build up onto your children. But, ultimately it is a symptom of changing times. At my age I’ve seen a lot of change, both around where I live, and across London and around the world. Looking back it’s quite exhilarating thinking of the pace of change that has happened. This is just another part of that change. Now, my concert is that everyone will get the compensation they deserve and need and whatever job or business they set up, is not based on animal exploitation or cruelty. These changes are indeed what happens, the victims of this are often ordinary hard working people. No doubt the land will be used for flats that ordinary working class people will not be able to afford, or a shopping centre because we don’t have enough of those do we?
From public perspective, I am pleased to see these places close. The visceral smell of death that surrounds places that sell animal carcasses has made me feel physically sick since I was a child. A trip to the butchers shop with me a buggy was punctuated by the sound of my wailing my mother has reliably informed me! I would walk a different route to avoid these places in London despite their striking appearance and attractive local businesses (Pastan!).
Beyond my own selfish experience of these areas of London, it felt like the end of animal trade in the open air. And then I remembered every farmers market I go to, and Borough market. Of course, it's not.
My instinct was to celebrate this end of an era but upon reading your post, I am, as usual when reading your work, humbled and reminded to de-centre myself when thinking about these things. To be realistic about both what this signifies, the consequences (and for whom). Am I naive to imagine this could become a hub for culture, community and sustainable living? I hope not.